Wales coach Wayne Pivac is facing a mounting injury crisis as he prepares for the Six Nations, with Ken Owens the latest long-term casualty.
A persistent back problem means Lions hooker Owens will join fellow seasoned campaigners Alun Wyn Jones, Leigh Halfpenny and Josh Navidi in missing the whole of the Championship.
In addition, the likes of George North, Justin Tipuric, Ross Moriarty and Dan Lydiate are set to miss the start of the tournament.
So just who will take the field when Wales launch the defence of their Six Nations title against Ireland in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on February 5?
Rugby correspondent Simon Thomas looks at the likely line-up.
15. Liam Williams
Johnny McNicholl went well at full-back against New Zealand and South Africa in the autumn, barely putting a foot wrong, but you would expect the Cardiff-bound Williams to start there in Dublin.
His long-time rival Leigh Halfpenny is out of the equation due to the horrendous knee ligament damage he suffered against Canada in July.
14. Louis Rees-Zammit
It was against Ireland the Gloucester winger made his Six Nations debut just under a year ago, marking the occasion with a well-taken try.
He’s still only 20, but he’s already established himself as one of the most dangerous players on the international scene with his devastating pace and finishing.
13. Nick Tompkins
With George North not ready yet following the cruciate rupture cruciate he suffered last April, Pivac is left to choose from the variety of options he has rotated in the centre.
He could revert to the solidity and experience of Jonathan Davies at 13 or take the bold move of utilising winger Josh Adams there.
But the likeliest option would probably be sticking with Nick Tompkins, who has had such a fine season for Saracens.
12. Willis Halaholo
It looked as though the autumn was going to be a write-off for Halaholo when he contracted Covid.
But injury then opened the door and he ended up starting the victory over Australia.
His quick feet, his ability to beat the first man and his passing ability make him the most attack-minded option and probably gets him the nod over Johnny Williams or the adaptable Jonathan Davies.
11. Josh Adams
You get the sense Pivac might just be tempted to switch the Cardiff winger into the centre, with Johnny McNicholl coming into the back three.
That would certainly add real top end and a cutting edge to the midfield.
But with the experiment having had to be put on hold when Adams withdrew from the Fiji game, Dublin might not be the right place for an initiation, so staying on the wing is probably more realistic.
10. Dan Biggar
Rhys Priestland produced a couple of classy cameos on his international return in the autumn, while it was good to see Gareth Anscombe making an impact off the bench for the Ospreys at the weekend, with the way he set up a try for Dan Evans.
But you would still expect Biggar to start at the Aviva, as he has generally been Pivac’s go-to man at 10 during the Kiwi’s coaching reign and is in fine form for Northampton.
9. Tomos Williams
We have been waiting a while now for Williams to really grab the No 9 jersey and fully transfer his undoubted talent to the international stage.
Will this be the campaign for it to happen? He’s certainly on top of his game, as he showed with the bright spark he brought off the bench for Cardiff on an otherwise grim afternoon in Edinburgh on the weekend.
So you would bank on him edging ahead of Gareth Davies and Kieran Hardy in the scrum-half pecking order.
1. Wyn Jones
It would have been a character-testing autumn for the Scarlets loosehead as he went from being a Lions Test starter to being left out of the Wales starting line-up, with Pivac raising issues over his fitness levels.
However, he was back in pole position by the final game against Australia and you would think he will get the nod over Rhys Carre for Dublin, with the mighty scrummaging of Tadhg Furlong to be contended with.
2. Ryan Elias
The loss of Ken Owens is a big blow, given the vast experience, leadership and gnarly toughness he brings to the party.
But that is softened somewhat by the way fellow Scarlet Elias performed in the autumn.
After a shaky start against New Zealand, where the lineout went awry, he bounced back in impressive fashion and was one of the big successes of the campaign.
So he deserves to get a continued run in the side, with Elliot Dee, Bradley Roberts and the fit-again Dewi Lake vying for back-up duty.
3. Tomas Francis
It’s good to see Leon Brown fit again after a lengthy lay-off, while hopefully Dillon Lewis will be over his foot injury in time, which would give Pivac two mobile tighthead options, with WillGriff John in the mix.
But you would expect the 60-cap cornerstone Francis to start in Dublin in a bid to provide that all-important scrummaging stability against a really strong Irish pack.
4. Adam Beard
With Alun Wyn Jones missing the whole of the Championship due to the shoulder damage he suffered against New Zealand, fellow Osprey Beard has a big responsibility on his shoulders.
He is now the senior partner in the second row, while also taking on the key role of lineout caller. His defensive swimming at maul time is likely to be crucial versus Ireland.
5. Will Rowlands
Seb Davies is the man in possession, having started in the victory over Australia, and he had a very decent autumn overall, following up his efforts as blindside cover.
Ben Carter and Christ Tshiunza are two further lock options and will hopefully both go on to have bright futures.
However, you sense that Will Rowlands - who missed the Wallabies game through concussion - will probably come back in to offer his combination of physicality and athleticism.
6. Ellis Jenkins
Pivac generally likes to select a big, abrasive, hard-hitting 6, with Josh Navidi, Dan Lydiate, Ross Moriarty and Shane Lewis-Hughes having all fulfilled that function during his tenure.
But the first three of those are all out injured, while Lewis-Hughes has only played one game since last March.
Christ Tshiunza, who has just turned 20, would be another sizeable option, and he certainly made an impact in November, but it would be a huge ask to throw him into the Dublin cauldron.
So the likeliest option is the adaptable Ellis Jenkins continuing on the blindside where he did such sterling work in the autumn, bringing his own strengths and all-round class to the role. He may well continue as captain too.
7. Taine Basham
Even if Justin Tipuric was fit for the start of the Championship, it would be very hard to leave Basham out after his heroics in the autumn.
With Tipuric still recovering from the shattered scapula he suffered on Lions duty against Japan last June and ruled out, it’s a no-brainer.
So the dynamic Basham will get the chance to carry on where he left off with his Man of the Match display in the victory over Australia.
8. Aaron Wainwright
The hope is Taulupe Faletau may be fit for the start of the Championship, but he hasn’t played since the Lions tour last summer due to an ankle injury and there is still no date confirmed for his return to action with Bath.
So the likelihood is Wainwright will continue his conversion from a blindside, bringing his athleticism and rangy running off the base of the scrum, with Faletau potentially able to take a place in the 23.
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